Self-Care Tips for Content Creators

As content creators, we’re pretty sure it’s safe to admit that self-care and content creation don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. One might say they struggle to even help the two coexist! However, practicing self-care is imperative to staying creative. Creativity is the lifeblood of our work and we must do our best to nurture it. Most writers aren’t known to take care of themselves. However, we don't have to fall into that category. When the topic of self-care comes up in our practice, one might ask how can I do that today? On the contrary, others might need help recognizing what self-care even means. No matter where you are on the subject, we’re here to help you!

What is Self-Care? 

For those of us who’ve become completely addicted to the workaholic life, you might be asking what exactly is self-care and what does it look like? We’re so glad you asked! Self-care can mean something different for everyone but i’s ultimately, taking accountability for your own emotional, mental, and physical health. A lack of self-care can lead to burnout and other ailments. When self-care is neglected, instead of enjoying life and finding passion in our hobbies, we will find ourselves resenting everyday tasks and activities that once excited us. Here are a few tips you can implement as a content creator to make sure that self-care fuels your creativity and passion as a writer.

Take Frequent Breaks

Writing takes a lot of brainpower. Plenty of us can admit that we got caught up in a project and ended up spending an immense amount of time in front of our computer screen with little or nothing to show for it. Now that the whole day is gone, we end up feeling guilty for our lack of accomplishment and neglecting ourselves. While hunkering down to work in isolation might feel like the best way to be productive, taking frequent breaks are key. 

With the nasty effects of blue light from screen time on the rise, taking breaks is more important than ever. Breaks allow your brain to relax and reset. Try taking a 15-20 minutes break every hour. Whether that’s going for a walk, grabbing a bit to eat, or hopping on the phone, do something that will help you temporarily detach yourself from your project. This will allow you to come back refreshed with new eyes and ready to work.

Give Yourself Grace

As writers, we can be pretty sensitive about our work and almost always as critical. Our standards and the feedback we receive become our measures of self-worth, which can lead us down a dangerous path as content creators. With the pressure of creating new and fresh content constantly, it’s important to remember to give yourself grace. There are times where we will make mistakes, projects will flop, and deadlines might pass. That doesn’t mean our content creation dreams are not meant to be. Writing is a craft that evolves. Remember to give yourself the grace to grow and hone your skills, knowing that your content and audience are growing right along with you.

Create a Schedule that Works for Your Lifestyle

It’s important to keep in mind where you are in life and the realistic amount of time you have to dedicate to your craft. Some of us have nothing but time to carve out of our day. While others of us are balancing a full-time job, a family, and our passion for writing. The content we’re able to create during any given point will look different from person to person. That’s why it’s important to create a schedule that works with your lifestyle priorities instead of against them, When a content creation schedule works with your lifestyle you will feel more accomplished at the end of the day and have a better way to measure the progress you make with various projects. When we fail to plan, we plan to fail. As a result, we end up comparing our abilities to those who are fully staffed, have unlimited free time, or have other resources we don’t see operating behind the scenes.

When creating your schedule, choose a start and end time for writing and stick to it. You’ll be tempted to overwork or fix that last little thing that could take hours, but don’t, you'll thank yourself later. Working in a specific block of time will help you be consistent and we all know that consistency is key.

 Think you need a little more inspiration? Here are a few quick tips to get you started:

●      Light a scented candle when you’re writing.

 ●      Try mint tea for productivity.

●      Write for 20 minutes, then stretch your arms, back, and shoulders.

●      Decide today when and what you’ll write tomorrow.

●      Keep in mind, reward rarely comes to those who don’t take risks.

●      Remember that everyone feels like an impostor sometimes.

●      Put your phone into airplane mode for a day.

●      Create a file of accomplishments and wins you have as a writer. 

 ●      Does this project “spark joy” or lead somewhere worthwhile? If not, ditch it!

●      Don't compare your first draft to their final draft. 

●      Meet another writer for coffee.

●      Bake something. While your creation is in the oven, do a word sprint. (Set a timer, just in case!)

●      Look how far you’ve come in a year.

 ●      Listen to your inner critic. Would a kind friend say those words to you?

Self-care is not just a one-time thing. It is something that you have to work into your everyday schedule to see results. It is also not a fix-all. You’ll still have ups and downs, good days and bad days, but we can guarantee that implementing some of these tips will help make your content creation journey smoother. Do you see any tips that you currently use? Do you have any you’d like to recommend? Let us know!